French mother, daughter 'executed' at Nairobi mall

The two French citizens killed in Saturday's militant attack on a Nairobi shopping mall were a mother and daughter who were "executed" in the parking lot, French officials said Sunday. At least 68 people have so far died in the attack.

The two French citizens who were among the scores of people killed in Saturday's militant attack on a Nairobi shopping mall were a mother and daughter who were "executed" in the parking lot, French officials said Sunday.

"Two of our compatriots were cowardly attacked and executed in the parking lot of the shopping centre," said Helene Conway-Mouret, the minister in charge of French citizens living abroad.

Conway-Mouret said there were a total of seven French nationals in the Westgate complex when al Shabaab militants stormed the centre on Saturday.

Five of them managed to flee. One suffered bullet injuries and had been admitted to hospital but was not "in danger", she told BFM-TV.

"They are in shock," she said, referring to those who escaped.

The minister said the French embassy in the Kenyan capital had set up a crisis cell and had asked the nearly 1,500 registered French nationals to remain "vigilant."

President François Hollande "condemns the cowardly attack in the strongest terms and shares the pain of the family of our compatriots", the Elysee Palace said in a statement.

The Red Cross says more than 68 people had been killed and scores more injured in the attack on the capital's upscale shopping mall, which has been claimed by Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.

Security forces on Sunday were still in the process of trying to secure the mall and neutralise the attackers.

Britain has confirmed that at least three of its citizens had been killed in the Nairobi bloodshed.

Stephen Harper, Canada's prime minister, said two Canadian nationals had also been killed in the attack, including a diplomat.

The United States said that some of its citizens were reportedly among the victims of this "despicable" act but did not confirm the details of those injured or killed.